


Onward to take the World

by Lucarn



Category: One Piece, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Alternate Universe - One Piece Fusion, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Not a Crossover, Pirates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 01:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7956937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucarn/pseuds/Lucarn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marine Captain Edgeworth Miles sets out with the most dangerous plan a man in his position can pursue. The antithesis of what he is supposed to do. He doesn’t care.</p><p>Or: Of course Phoenix was still the same person. Namely the person who protected other people to his own detriment, no matter the cost to him. That horrible outfit (your hat with that hoodie and sandals, really, Wright?) was just a means to an end. Just like the lies were he had been telling to keep everybody away.</p><p>Just like giving up his dream and ideals had been. (And maybe that was a lie, too. That he still dreamed but was too terrified.)</p><p>- An Ace Attorney AU set in an One Piece context</p>
            </blockquote>





	Onward to take the World

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for spoilers for the Water 7 arc that starts after the Sky Island arc.

At first he thought, _Phoenix lied to me again._

Second he thought, _What was he thinking, to give himself up to Cipher Pol 9?!_

And his last thought, _He’s been protecting me. Just like he’s been protecting his crew by distancing himself and lying, because those people were after him._

Lightning cleaved through the sky, followed by sister thunder whose drums shook the city. The Marine staggered through the flooding lower levels to higher ground but it did not take away from his speed.

Not in a million years would have Miles just taken his word. Everybody up a certain rank learned about the fabled sections who worked directly to ensure the world’s safety: Cipher Pol 0 to 8. The ninth was just a rumor one whispered in the corridors, because why should the most powerful organization in the world have need for assassins? He would have either dragged Phoenix to the next Marine base for questioning or asked directly about the subject. And he would not have gotten anywhere, because this was a dirty secret of the World Government that it didn’t want to be found by anybody. Not by archeologists, not by pirates, and certainly not by a mere Marine Captain.

Or he would have died. Miles wasn’t one to take ‘no’ in his pursuit for the truth. Just like he had been hunting this particular crew now for months to find answers, he would have continued asking and prodding. He wanted to root out any corruption present after Warlord von Karma’s deeds came to light, but he had been still so naïve. He believed so much in the ‘justice’ the Marine Corps represented…

And for his troubles, he would have eventually ended up as too bothersome for his superiors.

It was the same thing in a different costume - it was the same as when they shoved the debacle with von Karma under the rug as much as possible, because of the embarrassment that they had failed to notice his plans.

 _Maybe I’d have died at the hands of Cipher Pol 9?_ A stone dropped as the magnitude of the situation slowly settled onto him. _He wasn’t attacking me for the sake of getting rid of me. He wanted to remove any suspicion that I knew about what was going on, that I heard about those weapons._

_And now he’s as good as dead._

Refusal so vehement crested inside his chest that he almost heaved. The wind battered against his side, tearing at his white coat, his sleeves madly fluttering like sails. He pushed forward, up, after the blur of blue that was on a mission just like him. It reminded him of the bandana hiding in his pocket - it had often served him as a makeshift mask in the past.

Cipher Pol was bringing Phoenix to Enies Lobby, the Holy Island of Justice where night never fell. That much he had heard before he lost consciousness.

_(‘Don’t concern yourself with this pirate, Marine.’ One of those assholes had punched him in the guts. He didn’t know who but he would pay them back in one way or another. But their arrogance also allowed him in the first place to listen, because they underestimated him. ‘Are you ready now, Mr. Wright?’_

_‘Woah, that was harsh! Aren’t you like colleagues?’_

_‘This is World Government business. A random marine need not to interfere, and he will wake up before the Aqua Laguna hits. Now are you coming along on your own will or…?”_

_He laid there, mind slowly slipping down the cobble stone to run into one of the city’s many canals, when Phoenix spoke, not loud, not clear, but so sharp it cut the air._

_‘I know the deal we made. I’m coming with you to walk through the Gates of Justice to the Marine Corps HQ. In return you’re going to let my crew leave the city safely.’ No airy indifference; no smug teasing; no cryptic evasion. The exhaustion, the defeat were the most genuine, but also rawest emotions he had heard from Phoenix in a long time. This was what he had hidden under that mask? But why? What did the Marine Corps want with him? But they mentioned the World Government and now are talking about a weapon. Was it the same-  
_

_‘-the blueprints lost, you’re the last link to the Ancient Weapon’s resurrection-’  
_

_‘-of course the Five Star Elders want that **thing** -’  
_

_‘-a new era of peace by eradicating everyone who stands against the World, whether pirates, rebels, or entire countries. That is necessary for True Justice.’  
_

_He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe.  
_

_Naked fear buoyed Miles in his last conscious seconds as he realized just how **wrong** he had been.)_

The racket of crumbling buildings and a screaming match had woken him. His hand reflexively flew to his mini transponder snail because of course he did when those signs of chaos started around him. Icy gales pounded the rain against his pounding head, but as it was, the person he had planted the transmitter on today was in the middle of said screaming match.

That was how he knew what the crew knew. That was how he had learned that Phoenix had lied to him as well, staged an attempted assassination, fought him seriously for the first time they had seen each other, because a damned World Government organization that shouldn’t even exist threatened his friends and family’s lives if he didn’t comply with them after they finally tracked him down.

And of course his crew would not give up on him after they discovered this.

 _Madness_ , Miles berated. _Do they know what madness this is? Enies Lobby is one of the most guarded locations in Paradise, but they want to invade the island to save him._

The real question was, however: Did _he_ know what madness this was? After all, he was running after them _because_ a strange, old woman had offered them a way to follow Cipher Pol who had left with the Puffing Tom. A way to catch up before the Aqua Laguna made it impossible and they lost too much time.

He could claim it was to arrest them, but that lie had started crumbling weeks ago. Between unexpected magician stage shows, heated discussions about the _Samurai of the Seas_ , irregular psychological profiles, chords of steel, and various other incidents that questioned his sanity, he had fallen into the pace of this irregular, erratic, charming crew of misfits.

No matter how much it hurt when they bolstered the doubts that had been festering in the legitimacy of the Marine’s actions – or doubts about the accusations against Phoenix – since von Karma had been arrested.

_(They had saved him from the Warlord, but now Miles was certain that specifically Phoenix had searched for him in the rubble, had dragged him out, had given him water because he didn’t feel parched when he woke up. Had stayed with him until he woke up, picking at his bleeding fingers steeped in dust and the torn sleeves of his ridiculous hoodie that had the same color as the bandages around Miles' head-_

_‘Don’t give me that look. You don’t owe me anything. Wasn’t it rather the other way round after you saved me when we were children? Just consider us even and let it go.’ Easy like that he diverted any anxiety, indignation Miles felt for owing a favor to a **pirate** of all people. He had pounced on the opportunity, ignoring like always that there were no strings attached, no matter Phoenix’s ‘threats’ or his own expectations about the man.) _

Miles swallowed, tasting the salt the storm was whipping onto this minuscule speck of land that was Water 7 on the ocean. He pushed more strength into his legs, lengthening his stride. The blue cape glanced against the streets corner before him and for a moment he feared he would lose their track.

Because _of course_ Phoenix’s core had stayed the same actually. Of course he still was the same self-sacrificing fool from then who would do everything to protect the ones dear to him. Miles had been so blind.

_Damn you if you think I’m letting you go through with this! You don’t belong behind bars of whatever kind. You don’t belong to death. Your place is nowhere else but on the open sea among your crew!_

He threw himself around the corner so fast his shoes skidded across the wet cobble stone, but his gaze was trained down the street where he spotted Gra- _Wright_ Trucy and Fey Maya climb down a narrow path between two dilapidated storage houses to an open wood door. Thankfully they hadn’t seen him, but if this path led elsewhere and they still were running, he might lose them and his only chance to help save his old friend yet. It didn’t occur to him how he should explain his change (?) of heart or justify why they should let him come along or if he was deserting the Marines.

Such thoughts usually came to him first in his plans, but the situation’s urgency demanded speed. He would think of a suitable justification when it was necessary.

At least he knew how he would hide his identity once they were on Enies Lobby. He would not desert his position - he still needed to raise in the ranks to gain the influence necessary to weed out the corruption. But he would not allow another injustice happen that the Marine sanctioned just because it furthered their political goals. Least of an injustice done to a friend.

That was how it came to that Captain Edgeworth Miles of the Marines somehow sneaked inside the Rocketman and was only noticed when that terrible machine was already running. He never brought up how he did it. He also didn't disclose to the crew’s allies that he was, in fact, a marine. He was _good_ at disguises. (Or these people were particular dense, even if they had never met him before.)

**Author's Note:**

> Because I see AJ-era Phoenix as perfect for Robin’s role during that time. Distant person who has always an ulterior motive for what they do, or seems to at least? Hiding their true emotions to defend themselves? Ready to throw themselves under the bus to protect their loved ones?
> 
> I love the image that Phoenix in his ratty clothes clashed with Miles in his perfect uniform, the latter grim or scowling while the former puts up his fake, lazy half-grin, but is internally and unconsciously screaming for help. And I love him being saved by his friends. By the way, I considered to give Miles the Smoke-Smoke-Fruit as a parallel to Smoker and his grey / white hair. For this one-shot, I said ‘Nah’ and made him a Badass Normal like Phoenix. Also, imagine Marine Miles in disguise fighting his colleagues and taking names.
> 
> I might do more parts in this AU - especially the later part in the Water 7 arc has a scene that feels as if it would fit perfectly for Phoenix and his friends.


End file.
